ENHANCED INVESTIGATION OF ETIOLOGY OF DISEASES DURING THE SHIGELLOSIS OUTBREAK WITH FATAL OUTCOMES AMONG CHILDREN

Abstract

The outbreak of shigellosis caused by Shigella. flexneri 2a which affected a total of 42 persons was revealed by epidemiological analysis and microbiological testing in a nursing home for disabled children with a severe pathology of the nervous system. At the same time, four fatal cases among children were registered. The main purpose of our study was to perform an enhanced investigation to find potentially novel etiological agent among affected persons especially in cases with fatal outcome. We applied a broad range of commercial kits based on the nucleic acid amplification techniques as well as bacteriological methods for etiological diagnosis. Additionally, several S. flexneri 2a isolates and revealed bacterial pathogens were subjected to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) for expanded genetic characterization as well as demonstration of their clonality and the presents/absence of unusual pathogenic determinants. Genetic relationship between viral pathogens was characterized by Sanger sequencing of phylogenetically informative regions. Epidemiological data and lab testing allowed considering the generalized herpes simplex virus type 1 infection (HSV-1) to be a possible cause of fatal cases.

Keywords

HSV-1 / shigellosis / healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) / herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)

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